Feb 27 & March 6 Lesson

Okay promise, short and sweet. It should be easier to do so anyway since I have no pics or video. Hubby is home but... yeah, didn't come out. But I wish he had!

Been working on straightness and it is really starting to show and pay off. Today and last week's lesson we did a bit more jumping. I felt great with my body and Gertie felt great under me. Seriously, like butter.

We did this line last week, except the blue and white was the cross-rail and the green and white was the vertical:

Perfectly straight before, in-between, and after the jumps--cantering away nicely! Last week we ended the lesson at 2'9, the highest Gertie has ever jumped and she did it as though it were nothing! So proud of my girl.

Today, we worked on the same thing as last week. Just the other direction (the picture above is from today and we were, obviously, going from the cross-rail to the blue and white. But, then we added in the red/yellow/blue "arizona flag" jump as well). And today was even better! Although, we did have two stops at the cross-rail when she got distracted by a loud horse trailer being hauled in. Lost her mind for a bit, but she did come back to me. She was super and perfectly straight in our lines. My legs have gotten MUCH better and more even. It certainly feels like I'm hugging her evenly and comfortably on both sides. I just cannot get over how smooth it is all feeling. It's all coming together so well! Today, we ended at 3' --highest so far and she did it with no more effort than if it was 2' or 2'6"... such a good, good girl <3 So good and so willing. Don't tell anyone, but she's maturing! Shhh!

We have a Dressage and a Jumping lesson next week, then not sure the week following. We are doing an Event Derby (schooling XC derby) the 23rd and 24th-- Chicken Little (2' and smaller) and Beginner Novice (2'9" and smaller)... should be a fun experience!